Canon Pixma MX870 - 'ink absorber pad almost full'

[stratman]

Just searched Google and the Canon Pro 100 can be had for $350 after rebate from BH Photo. Very few deals on this printer at the moment. Many places it's ~$600.

If Canon is phasing out the Pro 100 due to the introduction of the Pro 300 then possibly one last rebate hurray in the future to clear inventory?

Ebay has some deals on the printer body only (no print head or inks) but shipping kills the savings. Craigslist had nothing in my area. Maybe find a printer body in your area on eBay and do a pickup.

 

[user5800]

what's the point of buy a printer body if the problem is always with the printheads?

 

[dalmatinodog]

probably stupid question, but via which interface to connect to Canon Pixma MX870 in order to have Service tool running? USB? Wifi? LAN cable?

thanks in advance!

 

[MikeH]

probably stupid question, but via which interface to connect to Canon Pixma MX870 in order to have Service tool running? USB? Wifi? LAN cable?

thanks in advance!

I've used the USB cable for my ip2702. I would guess any of them would work?

 

[dalmatinodog]

somehow I am not managing to connect, I will double check if I even entered "service mode" correctly.
In the meantime, are Printer drivers prerequisite for service tool to work? In that case that would be the solution...

 

[PeterBJ]

The service tools only work with Windows. You cannot use a Mac or Linux computer. You also have to use a USB connection even if the printer might have network connectivity. It is also important that the printer you want to perform service mode operations on is the only printer connected to the computer.

You find a service manual for the MX870 here.

Also see this post and the links in it.

 

[dalmatinodog]

thanks Peter for your answer. I followed that particular manual to repair the printer and it is awsome!
After buying new cable (the wrong one), deactivating antivirus etc. I finally found the solution to my problem.

For dummies like me, do not use the front USB-A port on the printer (PictBridge), use USB-B on the rear side of it instead!

Btw. one interesting thing, if you take a look at the page 33 of service manual, on my printer there was a sticker over the hole for white wire to connect to it . That wire was never connected as on the photo, instead it was just "open" (laying around not connected to anything). Just for fun I connected it and I see no difference in printer's behaviour. Any ideas what that wire is about?

 

[dalmatinodog]

I meant page 33, picture in third row on the right, white wire in red circle

 

[PeterBJ]

It might be a ground wire. See page 58 "(7) Power supply unit and modular board replacement" It looks like the ground wire is connected differently depending on if the printer is a Japanese model or not(?).

 

[dalmatinodog]

very interesting, I missed that part. It seems that I have now improperly grounded printer (I grounded both wires as for Japanese model).
Do you happen to know what is the difference between Japanese and other models? I assume it might have something to do with AC current voltage... (Japan 100V, North America 120V, Central Europe 230V)

----------------concatenated post-----------------
or maybe there is difference because Japanese version of printer comes (no idea if it does) with power cord that also has grounding pin? In that case maybe DC ground might be connected to power plug's ground (if it would make sense )...
My (european) printer's power cord does not have grounding pins.

p.s. sorry if offtopic, should a new thread be opened?